“We have the same points as last season at this moment, but of course we expect to have more.”

That was Carlos Carvalhal immediately following Sheffield Wednesday’s last match before the international break - a 2-1 defeat to a very average Ipswich Town side.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvalhal

It was an insight into what the feeling is behind the scenes at Hillsborough; that there is a belief that results aren’t reflecting the quality that Carvalhal has available to him and that fans do not have sole ownership of Wednesday’s high expectations.

Is he right though?

Perhaps this squad are just going through a similar process.

When Carvalhal states that the points are the same as last year, he’s only telling half the story. The season itself is an almost mirror image.

The points tally stands at 24, they are just three goals worse off, have conceded the same number (19), won just one more this time around than last but also lost two more.

However way they got there, the points total is the same and they stand in 10th, level on goal difference with eighth place Fulham.

If things go as they did, then the Cottagers should take a hammering on Saturday, just as Huddersfield did (3-1) on the return from the international break in November 2015. From there Wednesday would lose just four more times until the next international break in March earlier this year.

The reason? Things clicked. The team had taken this long to find its feet in the way that Carvalhal wanted them to.

It was completely new to them, not least the ones who were here under Stuart Gray.

This time around there is a similarity, however the focus has changed. Where they were once the surprise package, in some ways, they have been ‘found out’ a little.

Now the Owls have had to work out a way of breaking down sides intent on stifling. They haven’t quite managed that yet, making this season look more than a little pedestrian.